I’ve learned so many lessons over the years. One that has stuck with me is this:
It is better to be late and right, than on time but wrong.
A similar maxim used in creative circles is “perfect and late or good and on time?”, which does rather depend if good enough falls on the right side of wrong.
So imagine that you’ve dropped a wad of pre-order cash on something, only to receive it and it doesn’t measure up to the hype and expectations, or could simply have been better. Well it seems that MWM, the people behind the wireless DVS Phase, have been wrestling with this thought process, and have delayed the final launch by a couple of months.
Let’s hear what they have to say. This is taken from their Facebook page:
Update on the Phase Journey: official launch date
PHASE · WEDNESDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2018
Today we have news to share with you regarding Phase development and its commercialization.
Phase development overview
As you may have seen in our latest posts and newsletters, we have validated the final design of Phase, and the entire hardware parts (electronic and mechanical) are now complete and ready for production. After months of prototyping, we are proud to have reached this important step, which brings us closer to the final product. We are also preparing the ground for commercialization: packaging is ready, and we are finalizing the supply chain and our distribution network around the globe.
Final design and packaging
In the past few weeks, we presented our latest prototypes at several events around the world where we came to meet the DJ community for in-depth testing sessions. We gathered valuable feedback regarding product improvements or new feature ideas that could be added. These exchanges have convinced us that Phase can go even further than what we had initially imagined, and we have decided to take more time to reach this quality level.
Official Phase launch date: November 28th 2018
As heartbreaking as it was for us, we took an important and difficult decision and decided to postpone the launch to November 28th. This will give us the opportunity to improve Phase and offer you the perfect product that will meet all your expectations. We will use this extra time to work on major development directions:
- New and faster radio data transmission protocol
- Upgrade the USB support for new application compatibilities
- Redesign the pairing system for easy-to-use and instant setup in any situation
- New update system that will allow to integrate new major features remotely
- Rework the included accessories (magnetic stickers and cables) to meet intense DJ performances requirements
We would like to sincerely apologize for the delay, we know what a frustration this news is for you all – it was hard for us too – but we are convinced that it is for the best. We are a team of passionate people whose main goal has always been to bring innovative and high-quality solutions to the DJ community, and we need more time than initially forecasted to honour that promise.
We will continue to meet and exchange with you during our Phase Live Sessions all over the world, and regularly share news and updates until launch day – November 28th.
SO… LATER BUT BETTER
And that’s fine by me. It’s refreshing to see a company in a position to get a significant amount of hands-on testing from potential users, and have that feedback shape the final product. All too often I look at products and wonder if anyone outside of the designer has even seen it before. But in the case of Phase, the first public showing at NAMM 2018 got the DJ community all in a tizzy, proclaiming the death of assorted DJ products, and randomly rolling out the hackneyed “game changer”.
And subsequent appearances has allowed MWM to make some decisions about the final product, which has led to the decision to delay for a couple of months. Given that the product has been used by a great many people now, it’s clearly not some sort of Kirtstartered render-only vapourware, so you can be sure that it will appear very soon. And that new launch date is November 28th.
In the videogame industry, it’s “when it’s great”.
“Upgrade the USB support for new application compatibilities” – I wonder what that means? Support for some newer time code on the horizon? Direct software control from the receiver through USB without needing a interface or DVS upgrade (turning Phase into a poor man’s Rane Twelve)? So many questions…
It could mean class compliant for use with iOS/Android apps maybe.
Also implementing propietary (from them but could be open source) software to make it standalone but this feature require more than a simply “rework”.
Somebody from phase team confirmed to me that they are working on possibility to output midi (and other formats hid etc) via usb (something that was requested even in article about phase here in djworx)
Not sure about this. Don’t understand me wrong… planning is key in business models and also adaptability to changes in roadmap but these statements sound like they are planning a mk2 without launching the mk1 which is IMHO bad. It’s ok to ironning bugs to the first release (Did someone said cofcof twelves?) but if you plan to change so much the product after some testing and in so little time… it says “wrong market initial analysis”. In fact it’s a niche product focused too much to niche scratching users… and even failing at mk1 it isn’t (sadly) where the money is.
IDK how healthy is the “Turntable for any djing way” segment (in relative or absolute terms) but that number against costs is a must to keep alive products and this is a product not a diy kit or NGO sonI hope they are doing their maths right and costumers get what they expect.
They’re not “planning a mk2 without launching the mk1.” They clearly stated that the hardware is done, and the only thing even vaguely hardware-related on their stated to-do list is improving the accessories package. Everything else is either firmware or software.
I saw and tried this system at NAMM, and I spent a while quizzing the MWM guys about it. I placed a pre-order as soon as it was offered, and while I am a bit disappointed about the delay, I am certainly not surprised. I’d much rather they spend the time to make the release version of the product as good as they want it to be.
I want to think the same but I have my doubts based on their “announcement” and deadlines. I will love to be wrong but not the first time a startup makes this kind of scheduled planning changes and gone bankrupt before even the full release (I can give you almost 2 examples of this in our field aka music business and many more outside) so as i said “don’t understand me wrong” but facts are facts and words, words…
I wish them the best and lets hope they get it right and hit the success. I think this is a great product even with bugs (it’s very difficult release anything bugfree nowadays) but I talk based on my (first hand) experience and knowledge. Time will tell us…
one would hope, that they figured out, that leaving them attached to the vinyl, and charging there, is better than having to put them in that cradle.
Plugging it for charging or wireless charging? I wonder sometimes about new innovations in digital turntablism and special vinyl with more than sensors arise in mu draws. Then I remember how difficult is make any of this happen without licensing from the 3 big boys and continue with my boring life…
Add one month to “start manufacturing” and some more to dleiver…
We are near the next NAMM and again we have another delay… even if there isn’t added features delays are common but if they are trying to implement new things it could mean “never going to happen” or too late for market (later to the sweet point in adoption).
Let’s hope they deliver and have enough success to survive…
It`ll happen
People will love it
The question is, how close to vinyl will the performace be
I hope it too. About perfomance it will probably similar but when it becomes DVS free (and full HID) then it will shine even more. I hope these day arrive too.
I already forgot about phase.
good that dj worx has remind me
I’d like to see a possibility for charging the receivers out of the cradle, with wire. That way you can permanently attach a receiver to a vinyl of choice and won’t have to risk if the magnetic sticker holds less and less over time of frequent attach-detach use.
I don’t think that’s how magnets work.
Magnets, how do they work?
magnetism
“The magnets has two sides, and the positive side attracts the red one” ;)
First a correction: when I wrote receivers I was thinking of the remotes, those things that are placed on the turntable. Now, how they stick to the record? With a magnetic sticker, they say, but I got the impression that the term “magnetic” is used because they hold down like magnets but aren’t true magnets. Need more info on this, maybe you’ve seen them live?
It feels to me like they are trying to solve a problem thats not there, like adding complexity into a process that on the whole works well.
Delayed till end of january
The typical club/tour set up is four (4) decks with multiple inputs for DJ handoffs. Yet Phase is only a two (2) deck solution. You make a four (4) transmitter pack, but the receiver can only accept two (2) inputs??? I play with three (3) decks regularly and sometimes use four (4) decks. You can play (not manipulate) four (4) decks on one (1) Rane 12.
Buy two of the 2-deck transmitters, pro.